AUGUSTA – The Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife selected 4,000 hunters to receive turkey permits during a random drawing held Thursday morning. A total of 14,909 hunters applied for permits, an increase of 5,665 over last year, when 3,000 permits were available.

“The sport is getting more popular and wild turkeys have expanded their range in Maine,” said DIFW Wildlife Management Section Supervisor Gene Dumont.

A list of recipients is available on the DIFW web set at http://www.state.me.us/ifw or by calling 287-8000 weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Successful applicants will be notified by mail and have three weeks to claim the permits.